By Hannah Worthington, Online Editor
I love a good burger. In fact, I not only love a good burger, but rosemary fries which are included in that burger deal. Honest Burgers, nestled just across from the Hippodrome on Clare Street, have won the chip-pot lottery with regards to their burger deals. Best of all, they are offering 30% off for students every Monday-Sunday from 11:30am to 17:30pm, which would just be foolish to miss.
Met with a warm welcome by the supervisor, I was seated with a friend in one of the retro booths that line the back wall of the restaurant. The burger spot is small, seating about 30 people, but the atmosphere on a Thursday evening was as good as you'd get on a Saturday.
I ordered a diet coke which arrived chilled with a paper candy-cane coloured straw. Simple aesthetics please me, so this, and their plastic free joint, was ticking all the right boxes.
Keen to get a grasp of everything on the menu, we opted for the chicken wings, onion rings, my friend chose the Bristol burger (location-specific), and I went for the Plant burger. Skeptical about their Vegan option, and having been told by the staff that people often have to double check that what they are eating is meat due to the juicy quality, I had to try. The guys on shift were incredibly accomodating with nutritional preferences, and had I been Vegan, they were on hand to tell me exactly what I could and couldn't have from the menu.
First up we were delivered the sides: tomato covered wings and onion battered circles bigger than the size of my head. The chicken wings defied the usual BBQ coating with its tangy tomato sauce. Super, if a little messy. The sides range from £3.50-5, and they are hefty portions; the onion rings alone could qualify as a meal. We tried a variation of the sauces: curry, chipotle mayo, hot sauce and bacon ketchup. The latter was the best of the bunch - the curry sauce and hot sauce didn't satisfy my taste buds as well as the rest of the meal, but we can't have it all.
Arriving shortly after, I was greeted by the Plant. The bun sandwiches Beyond Meat with Vegan smoked gouda, Rubies in the Rubble Chipotle Mayo, mustard, red onion, pickle and lettuce with a large portion of their rosemary salted fries. I love Vegan food, but I was nervous. The burger was *beyond* what I imagined, in all the right ways. Rich and creamy, the mayo and succulent meat substitute tasted just as good, if not better, than your usual patty. The brioche was still soft, not slightly grilled, which I personally prefer. I struggled to get to the end of this - it certainly guruantees you value for money.
The locally sourced Bristol with bacon, cheese and gravy was also pretty unique. Similarly apprehensive about what a cider gravy would taste like in a beef burger, my friend found it a welcomed surprise and would go down a treat for those who are fans of the classic cheese, chips and gravy.
To top it all off, the playlist was banging - striking just the right cord of being lively enough that you always feel upbeat while also being able to relax. Some restaurants may want to play nothing, or some opt for calmer beats - it works for some settings, for some it makes you sleepy, but this restaurant found precisely the right tunes that will appeal to students. We found ourselves constantly bobbing with each track change.
Great portion sizes for the pockets of a student - this place will keep you full and give you the most pronounced food baby in Bristol.
Featured Image: Hannah Worthington / Epigram
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